Yahoo: Online Display Ads Boost Search

A Yahoo Inc. study released today analyzing financial adviser client HarrisDirect's campaign claims that online display advertising increased the number of relevant searches by more than 61 percent.

Clicks on sponsored search advertising links leading directly to HarrisDirect's site at theharris.com also jumped 249 percent after a user was exposed to a display ad campaign, Yahoo said.

The study found that consumers exposed to the display ad campaign clicked on 139 percent more links to the HarrisDirect site via both sponsored and algorithmic links.

Yahoo used a test group versus control group method. The test group was exposed to a particular ad campaign. The control group was not.

The study, the first in a series to be conducted across different verticals served by Yahoo, underscores how online display ads affect search behavior.

Mickey Alam Khan covers Internet marketing campaigns and e-commerce, agency news as well as circulation for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters